IEC, which publishes global technical guidelines that allow millions of devices and systems to work together safely, and IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional association, are launching “The Challenge.” It invites academic institutions worldwide to submit and debate research that explores the wide range of sociological, political, economic, and environmental benefits provided by electrotechnology.

The world’s academicians and universities will compete for US$45,000 in prize money, which will be awarded to first-, second- and third-place winners at a special awards ceremony in Oslo, Norway, in October 2012. The Challenge will be to identify, analyze and debate why and how electrotechnology influences economic, social and environmental development, and the impact of broadly accepted standards.

The submissions will be judged by a highly distinguished panel: Jacques Régis, former CEO of Hydro Quebec, Montréal, Canada, and IEC Immediate Past President; Dr. Moshe Kam, Department Head, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Drexel University, and 2011 IEEE President; and Paul Markillie, Innovation Editor, The Economist.

Registration for The Challenge officially opens today at a ceremony in Melbourne, Australia. The deadline for final registration is midnight, March 1, 2012 (UTC) The IEC-IEEE Challenge is open to all persons affiliated with an Academic Institution that offers post-graduate study programmes. These include members and heads of faculty, professors, lecturers, post-graduate students, teaching and research staff.